Adjustable sliding armrest

ABSTRACT

An adjustable sliding armrest that may be extendable in length and varied in rotational position is provided. The armrest generally includes a support member, a slide member, a locking mechanism, and a tilt adjusting mechanism. The support member and slide member are in slidable communication with one another, and the locking mechanism may serve to lock the position of the slide member with respect to the support member. Moreover, the tilt adjusting mechanism may be utilized to selectively increase or decrease the tilt angle of the armrest. Such features allow users of various arm lengths to adjust the armrest to their comfort.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/177,938, filed May 13, 2009, and thisapplication is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/778,436 filed May 12, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,132,861 B2, theentireties of both of which are incorporated by reference as ifcompletely written herein.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of adjustablesliding armrests and, more particularly, to an armrest which may beextendable in length and varied in rotational position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Persons forced to sit in seats for long periods of time, particularlyvehicle operators such as long-haul truckers, find greater comfort andtherefore increased safety, when vehicle seats are equipped withergonomically designed armrests. Such armrests optimally requiremultiple functions, such as the capacity to be rotated out of the way ofa person entering and exiting the seat, the ability to be adjusted forpersons of differing arm lengths, and the ability to be positioned atdifferent angles to the horizontal, as may be desired by the occupant.

Various embodiments of the adjustable sliding armrest disclosed hereinprovide these functions in a novel design that promotes comfort anddurability in any one of a number of different embodiments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In its most general configuration, the presently disclosed adjustablesliding armrest advances the state of the art with a variety of newcapabilities and overcomes many of the shortcomings of prior methods innew and novel ways. In its most general sense, the presently disclosedadjustable sliding armrest overcomes the shortcomings and limitations ofthe prior art in any of a number of generally effective configurations.

The adjustable sliding armrest is designed and configured such thatusers of various arm lengths may comfortably support their arm byutilizing the adjustable features of the armrest. The armrest may beused for any type of application where support of a user's arm isdesired. By way of example, and not limitation, the armrest may be usedin various vehicles, including trucks, buses, coaches, military,construction and agricultural equipment, automobiles, boats, andairplanes, as well as any type of furniture that typically includes armsupports, such as chairs and sofas.

The armrest generally includes a support member, a slide member, alocking mechanism, and a tilt adjusting mechanism. These components, aswell as other components, and the operation of the armrest, will bedescribed in detail below.

The support member may include a rear cover, and a rear cover attachmentthat helps secure the rear cover to the support member. Although therear cover and rear cover attachment are shown as separate components inmany embodiments that attach to the support member, the support membermay be formed with an integral rear cover and rear cover attachment,thus forming an integral rear cover.

The adjustable sliding armrest provides a number of advantages. Forexample, as mentioned, the sliding feature of the armrest allows usersof various arm lengths to adjust the armrest to their comfort.Additionally, the configuration of the slide member and the supportmember promotes a self-cleaning function to help prevent fouling of theslidable communication therebetween. The adjustable sliding armrestfurther promotes ergonomics by utilization of a tilt adjustingmechanism, which allows for selective, incremental adjustments to thearmrest tilt angle. Moreover, a rounded or domed contact surface of thethreaded rod helps distribute the force exerted on the bearing pin overa larger surface area, which helps increase the useful life of thebearing pin.

Numerous variations, modifications, alternatives, and alterations of thevarious preferred embodiments, processes, and methods may be used aloneor in combination with one another as will become more readily apparentto those with skill in the art with reference to the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying figuresand drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Without limiting the scope of the adjustable sliding armrest asdisclosed herein and referring now to the drawings and figures:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of an adjustablesliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of an embodiment of an adjustable slidingarmrest, not to scale;

FIG. 2 a shows an exploded view of another embodiment of an adjustablesliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a support memberof the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 4 shows a top plan view of an embodiment of a support member of theadjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 5 shows a side elevation view of an embodiment of a support memberof the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 6 shows a rear elevation view of an embodiment of a support memberof the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the support member taken alongsection line 7-7 of FIG. 5, not to scale;

FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the support member taken alongsection line 8-8 of FIG. 5, not to scale;

FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the support member taken alongsection line 9-9 of FIG. 5, not to scale;

FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the support member taken alongsection line 10-10 of FIG. 5, not to scale;

FIG. 11 shows a top plan view of an embodiment of a slide member of theadjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 12 shows a side elevation view of an embodiment of a slide memberof the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 13 shows a cross-sectional view of the slide member taken alongsection line 13-13 of FIG. 11, not to scale;

FIG. 14 shows an enlarged view of a portion of the slide member shown inFIG. 12, not to scale;

FIG. 15 shows a cross-sectional view of the slide member taken alongsection line 15-15 of FIG. 12, not to scale;

FIG. 16 shows a cross-sectional view of the slide member taken alongsection line 16-16 of FIG. 12, not to scale;

FIG. 17 shows a cross-sectional view of the slide member taken alongsection line 17-17 of FIG. 12, not to scale;

FIG. 18 shows a cross-sectional view of the slide member taken alongsection line 18-18 of FIG. 12, not to scale;

FIG. 19 shows a front elevation view of an embodiment of a slide memberof the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 20 shows a front elevation view of an embodiment of a dextralbutton of the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 21 shows a side elevation view of an embodiment of a dextral buttonof the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 22 shows a bottom plan view of an embodiment of a dextral button ofthe adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 23 shows a cross-sectional view of the dextral button taken alongsection line 23-23 of FIG. 22, not to scale;

FIG. 24 shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of the dextral buttontaken along section line 24-24 of FIG. 22, not to scale;

FIG. 25 shows a cross-sectional view of the dextral button taken alongsection line 25-25 of FIG. 20, not to scale;

FIG. 26 shows an exploded view of an embodiment of a biased lockingmechanism of the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 27 shows a front elevation view of an embodiment of a sinistralbutton of the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 28 shows a side elevation view of an embodiment of a sinistralbutton of the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 29 shows a cross-sectional view of the sinistral button taken alongsection line 29-29 of FIG. 28, not to scale;

FIG. 30 shows a side elevation view of an embodiment of a rotatinghandle of the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 31 shows a side elevation view of an embodiment of a rotatinghandle of the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 32 shows a top plan view of an embodiment of a rotating handle ofthe adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 33 shows a cross-sectional view of the rotating handle taken alongsection line 33-33 of FIG. 32, not to scale;

FIG. 34 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a rotating handleof the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 35 shows a top plan view of an embodiment of a rear cover of theadjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 36 shows a bottom plan view of an embodiment of a rear cover of theadjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 37 shows a side elevation view of an embodiment of a rear cover ofthe adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 38 shows a rear elevation view of an embodiment of a rear cover ofthe adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 39 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a topper insertof the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 40 shows a top plan view of an embodiment of a topper insert of theadjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 41 shows a side elevation view of an embodiment of a topper insertof the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 42 shows a cross-sectional view of the topper insert taken alongsection line 42-42 of FIG. 41, not to scale;

FIG. 43 shows a cross-sectional view of the topper insert taken alongsection line 43-43 of FIG. 41, not to scale;

FIG. 44 shows a cross-sectional view of the topper insert taken alongsection line 44-44 of FIG. 40, not to scale;

FIG. 45 shows, in sequence, the sliding motion of the adjustable slidingarmrest, not to scale;

FIG. 46 shows a portion of an embodiment of an adjustable slidingarmrest with an increased tilt angle, not to scale;

FIG. 47 shows a portion of an embodiment of an adjustable slidingarmrest with a level tilt angle, not to scale;

FIG. 48 shows a portion of an embodiment of an adjustable slidingarmrest with a decreased tilt angle, not to scale;

FIG. 49 shows an enlarged view of an embodiment of a threaded rodengaging a bearing pin of the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;

FIG. 50 shows an enlarged view of an embodiment of a threaded rodengaging a bearing pin of the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale;and

FIG. 51 shows an enlarged view of an embodiment of a threaded rodengaging a bearing pin of the adjustable sliding armrest, not to scale.

These drawings are provided to assist in the understanding of theexemplary embodiments of the invention as described in more detail belowand should not be construed as unduly limiting the adjustable slidingarmrest. In particular, the relative spacing, positioning, sizing anddimensions of the various elements illustrated in the drawings are notdrawn to scale and may have been exaggerated, reduced or otherwisemodified for the purpose of improved clarity. Those of ordinary skill inthe art will also appreciate that a range of alternative configurationshave been omitted simply to improve the clarity and reduce the number ofdrawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The presently disclosed adjustable sliding armrest (10) enables asignificant advance in the state of the art. The preferred embodimentsof the adjustable sliding armrest (10) accomplish this by new and novelarrangements of elements and methods that are configured in unique andnovel ways and which demonstrate previously unavailable but preferredand desirable capabilities. The description set forth below inconnection with the drawings is intended merely as a description of thepresently preferred embodiments of the adjustable sliding armrest (10),and is not intended to represent the only form in which the adjustablesliding armrest (10) may be constructed or utilized. The descriptionsets forth the designs, functions, means, and methods of implementingthe adjustable sliding armrest (10) in connection with the illustratedembodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same orequivalent functions and features may be accomplished by differentembodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spiritand scope of the claimed adjustable sliding armrest (10).

With reference generally to FIGS. 1-51, an adjustable sliding armrest(10) is shown. The armrest (10) is designed and configured such thatusers of various arm lengths may comfortably support their arm byutilizing the adjustable features of the armrest (10). The armrest (10)may be used for any type of application where support of a user's arm isdesired. By way of example, and not limitation, the armrest (10) may beused in various vehicles, including trucks, buses, coaches, military,construction and agricultural equipment, automobiles, boats, andairplanes, as well as any type of furniture that typically includes armsupports, such as chairs and sofas.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the armrest (10) generally includes a supportmember (100), a slide member (200), a biased locking mechanism (300),and a tilt adjusting mechanism (400). These components, as well as othercomponents, and the operation of the armrest (10), will be described indetail below.

An exploded view of an embodiment of the armrest (10) is shown in FIG.2. In this embodiment, the support member (100) includes a rear cover(140), which is best seen in FIGS. 35-38, and a rear cover attachment(142) that helps secure the rear cover (140) to the support member(100). Preferably, the rear cover (140) and rear cover attachment (142)are secured to the support member (100) via a snap-fit connection.Although the rear cover (140) and rear cover attachment (142) are shownas separate components that attach to the support member (100), thesupport member (100) may be formed with an integral rear cover (140) andrear cover attachment (142), thus forming an integral rear cover (140)as seen in FIG. 2 a. This embodiment also includes a topper pad (220), atopper insert (230), which is best seen in FIGS. 39-44, and a topperattachment (232) to help secure the topper pad (220) to the topperinsert (230). The combined topper pad (220) and topper insert (230) areconfigured to be secured to the slide member (200) via fasteners, suchas screws or nuts and bolts, or even a snap-fit connection. The topperpad (220) provides cushioning and may be constructed of any type of foammaterial having soft and elastic qualities, such as a polyurethane foam.The topper insert (230) serves as a support for the topper pad (220) aswell as a base for connecting the topper pad (220) to the slide member(200). The topper insert (230) may be constructed with any type ofdurable plastic, such as polycarbonate or acrylonitrile butadienestyrene, just to name a couple. Although the topper pad (220), thetopper insert (230), and the topper insert attachment (232) are shown asseparate components, the topper insert (230) and topper insertattachment (230) may be molded or adhered to the topper pad (220) toform one integral piece.

With reference now to FIGS. 3-10, the support member (100) is shown ingreater detail. The support member (100) includes a support memberdextral wall (102) having a support member dextral wall slide slot (104)and a support member dextral rail (106), as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thesupport member dextral wall slide slot (104) has a plurality of dextralwall slide slot locking apertures (105), which will be discussed in moredetail below. Similarly, the support member (100) includes a supportmember sinistral wall (108) having a support member sinistral wall slideslot (110) and a support member sinistral rail (112), as seen in FIGS. 4and 5. As with the support member dextral wall slide slot (104), thesupport member sinistral wall slide slot (110) also includes a pluralityof sinistral wall slide slot locking apertures (111), which will also bediscussed in connection with the plurality of dextral wall slide slotlocking apertures (105) in more detail below. Additionally, as seen inFIGS. 8-10, the support member (100) may include a support member bottomwall (101). The support member (100) may be constructed with any type ofdurable plastic material, such as polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadienestyrene, nylon 6 with 30% glass-fiber filled, just to name a few.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the support member (100) includes a handlerecess (114). The handle recess (114) is configured to receive arotating handle (410), which is a component of the tilt adjustingmechanism (400). The support member (100) also includes a rod bore(116), which is best seen in FIG. 6. The rod bore (116) is configured toreceive a threaded rod (420), which is an additional component of thetilt adjusting mechanism (400).

Still referring to FIG. 5, the support member (100) has a pivot bore(118). The pivot bore (118) is configured to receive and retain a pivottube (120) having a bearing bore (122), which is best seen in FIG. 2.The bearing bore (122) is configured to receive and retain a bearing pin(130), also seen in FIG. 2, and while not illustrated in the figure, thecooperating surfaces of the bearing bore (122) and bearing pin (130) mayhave knurling or other cooperating surface features in order tofacilitate a snug fit. In operation, the pivot tube (120) provides anaxis around which the support member (100) may rotate. As seen in FIG.1, in one embodiment, the pivot tube (120) extends beyond the supportmember (100) to serve as a means for securing the armrest (10) to anobject for which arm support is desired. The pivot tube (120) may beformed with various strong and durable materials, such as stainlesssteel, titanium, 1020 DOM steel, and various plastics, just to name afew.

With reference now to FIGS. 11-19, the slide member (200) will now bediscussed. As seen throughout all of the figures, and FIG. 45 inparticular, the slide member (200) is constructed for slidablecommunication with the support member (100). The slide member (200)includes a slide member dextral wall (202) having a slide member dextralwall button bore (204) and a slide member dextral rail engager (206) forslidably engaging the support member dextral rail (106), as seen inFIGS. 11 and 13. Similarly, the slide member (200) includes a slidemember sinistral wall (208) having a slide member sinistral wall buttonbore (210) and a slide member sinistral rail engager (212) for slidablyengaging the support member sinistral rail (112), as seen in FIGS. 14and 15. Additionally, the slide member (200) includes a slide member topwall (214), as seen in FIG. 11. The material of construction of theslide member (200) is preferably the same as that of the support member(100) discussed above.

As seen throughout the figures, the slide member dextral and sinistralrail engagers (206, 212) are shown as a plurality of rail engagers (206,212) spaced along the slide member dextral and sinistral walls (202,208). However, there need only be one slide member dextral rail engager(206) on the slide member dextral wall (202) and one slide membersinistral rail engager (212) on the slide member sinistral wall (208).

On the other hand, having a plurality of rail engagers (206, 212) canlead to smoother sliding engagement with the support member dextral andsinistral rails (106, 112). When used over a period of time, dust ordebris may tend to build up on the dextral and sinistral rails (106,112) and the slide member dextral and sinistral rail engagers (206,212). Utilizing a plurality of rail engagers (206, 212) allows thedextral and sinistral rails (106, 112) to push out the accumulated dustor debris, which would fall in the space between the adjacent railengagers (206, 212) positioned on the slide member dextral and sinistralwalls (202, 208). Thus, having a plurality of rail engagers (206, 212)provides a self-cleaning function, which helps prevent the slidablecommunication between the slide member (200) and the support member(100) from becoming fouled.

In one particular embodiment, the slide member (200) may include one ormore debris recesses (216) in the slide member top wall (214), as seenin FIG. 11. The debris recesses (216) will allow any dust or debris thatmay collect on the slide member top wall (214) to fall through and exitthe armrest (10).

With reference now to FIGS. 20-29, the biased locking mechanism (300)will be discussed. In operation, the biased locking mechanism (300)allows selective slidable extension of the slide member (200) withrespect to the support member (100), as best seen in FIG. 45. The biasedlocking mechanism (300) includes a dextral button (310) configured toextend through the slide member dextral wall button bore (204) and thesupport member dextral wall slide slot (104), as seen in FIGS. 20-26.Additionally, the biased locking mechanism (300) includes a sinistralbutton (320) configured to extend through the slide member sinistralwall button bore (210) and the support member sinistral wall slide slot(110), as seen in FIGS. 26-29. The dextral and sinistral buttons (310,320) may be formed with various materials, including, but not limitedto, various metals and durable plastics, such as stainless steel, carbonsteel, polycarbonate, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, just to namea few.

To provide the biased locking mechanism (300) with means for creating abiasing force, a biasing spring (330) is disposed between the dextralbutton (310) and the sinistral button (320), as seen in one embodimentshown in FIG. 26. The biasing spring (330) serves to bias the dextralbutton (310) into engagement with one of the plurality of dextral wallslide slot locking apertures (105) and to bias the sinistral button(320) into engagement with one of the plurality of sinistral wall slideslot locking apertures (111) to lock the position of the slide member(200) with respect to the support member (100). Although the biasingspring (330) is shown throughout the figures as a compression spring,one with skill in the art will recognize that any type of biasing meansmay be utilized, such as a leaf spring, a flat spring, and a torsionspring, just to name a few.

Alternatively, the biasing spring (330) may be two resilient membersthat extend from the support member dextral sidewall (102) and thesupport member sinistral sidewall (108), or the support member bottomwall (101). The two resilient members extend to a height that is atleast level with the midpoint of the dextral and sinistral wall slideslot locking apertures (105, 111). Thus, at least a portion of thedextral and sinistral buttons (310, 320) will be capable of compressingthe two resilient members and the two resilient members will be capableof biasing the dextral and sinistral buttons (310, 320) back to theiroriginal position.

As previously discussed, the slide member (200) is in slidablecommunication with the support member (100). This slidable communicationis possible by way of the interaction between the support member dextraland sinistral rails (106, 112) and the slide member top wall (214), aswell as the slide member dextral and sinistral rail engagers (206, 212).The slide member dextral and sinistral rail engagers (206, 212) engagethe support member dextral and sinistral rails (106, 112) and helpprevent the slide member (200) from being lifted off of the supportmember (100). The slidable communication between the slide member (200)and the support member (100) is also attributable to the fact that thedextral and sinistral buttons (310, 320) extend through the slide memberdextral and sinistral wall button bores (204, 210) and the supportmember dextral and sinistral wall slide slots (104, 110). Thus, as canbe appreciated, the biased locking mechanism (300) not only allowsselective slidable extension of the slide member (200) with respect tothe support member (100), it also serves as a means for connecting theslide member (200) and the support member (100).

Now, the sliding operation of the armrest (10) will be described. First,a compressive force is applied to the dextral and sinistral buttons(310, 320) to cause the biasing spring (330) to compress. In thecompressed state, the dextral button (310) and the sinistral button(320) disengage the dextral and sinistral wall slide slot lockingapertures (105, 111). This disengagement allows the dextral andsinistral buttons (310, 320) to slide unhindered along the supportmember dextral and sinistral wall slide slots (104, 110). Thus, when acompressive force is continuously applied to the dextral and sinistralbuttons (310, 320), the slide member (200) may freely slide with respectto the support member (100) in order to extend or retract the slidemember (200). However, after the compressive force is removed from thedextral and sinistral buttons (310, 320), the dextral and sinistralbuttons (310, 320) are permitted to slide along the support memberdextral and sinistral wall slide slots (104, 110) until the biasingspring (330) biases the dextral and sinistral buttons (310, 320) backinto engagement with one of the plurality of dextral and sinistral wallslide slot locking apertures (105, 111) to lock the position of theslide member (200) with respect to the support member (100). As one withskill in the art will appreciate, the distance the armrest (10) mayextend is a function of the length of the support member dextral andsinistral wall slide slots (104, 110).

In one particular embodiment of the biased locking mechanism (300), thedextral button (310) includes a dextral shaft (312) having a dextralshaft width (313) and a dextral housing (314) having a dextral housingwidth (315) joined to the dextral shaft (312), as seen in FIG. 21. Thedextral housing (314) further includes a keyway (316), also seen in FIG.21. Similarly, in this embodiment, the sinistral button (320) includes asinistral shaft (322) having a sinistral shaft width (323) and asinistral housing (324) having a sinistral housing width (325) joined tothe sinistral shaft (322). The sinistral housing (324) further includesa key (326) configured to engage the keyway (316) of the dextral housing(316) such that the dextral housing (314) and the sinistral housing(324) are joined to one another. In this particular embodiment, thebiasing spring (330) is disposed within the dextral and sinistralhousings (314, 324) to enclose the biasing spring (330) and help guidethe biasing spring (330) as it is compressed. As seen in FIG. 26, thedextral and sinistral housings (314, 324) are joined by a snap-fitconnection; however, one with skill in the art will recognize that otherconnection means are possible. For example, the dextral and sinistralhousings (314, 324) may simply be joined to one another by the biasingspring (330), i.e., one end of the biasing spring (330) is fixedlysecured to the dextral housing (314) and the other end of the biasingspring (330) is fixedly secured to the sinistral housing (324).

As discussed above, the dextral and sinistral shafts (312, 322) haveshaft widths (313, 323) and the dextral and sinistral housings (314,324) have housing widths (315, 325), as seen in FIGS. 21 and 28. In thisparticular embodiment, the shaft widths (313, 323) are configured to fitwithin the widths of the support member dextral and sinistral slideslots (104, 110). However, the housing widths (315, 325) are larger thanthe shaft widths (313, 323) and will not fit within the support memberdextral and sinistral slide slots (104, 110); rather, the housing widths(315, 325) are configured to only fit within the widths of the dextraland sinistral wall slide slot locking apertures (105, 111). Thus, whenthe dextral and sinistral buttons (310, 320) are compressed, the dextraland sinistral housings (314, 324) disengage the dextral and sinistralwall slide slot locking apertures (105, 111). This disengagement allowsthe dextral and sinistral shafts (312, 322) to slide unhindered alongthe support member dextral and sinistral wall slide slots (104, 110)until another dextral and sinistral wall slide slot locking aperture(105, 111) is reached. At this point, the biasing spring (330) will actto bias the dextral and sinistral housings (314, 324) into engagementwith the dextral and sinistral wall slide slot locking apertures (105,111).

With reference now to FIGS. 30-34 and FIGS. 46-51, the tilt adjustingmechanism (400) will be described. The tilt adjusting mechanism (400)allows a tilt angle of the armrest (10) to be selectively increased ordecreased, as illustrated in FIGS. 46-48. As seen in FIGS. 30-34, thetilt adjusting mechanism (400) includes a rotating handle (410) having ahandle bore (412). As previously discussed, the rotating handle (410) isconfigured to be received within the handle recess (114) of the supportmember (100). The rotating handle (410) may be formed from virtually anymetal or plastic material, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene orpolypropylene, just to name a couple.

The next component of the tilt adjusting mechanism (400) is a threadedrod (420). The threaded rod (420) is configured to extend through therod bore (116) of the support member (100) and the handle bore (412).Preferably, the threaded rod (420) is constructed of a durable metalmaterial, such as titanium alloys, carbon steel, stainless steel, and41L40 alloy steel. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 30, the unthreaded portion ofthe threaded rod (420) has a cross-sectional geometry that mates withthe cross-sectional geometry of the handle bore (412) such that when therotating handle (410) is rotated, the threaded rod (420) willsimultaneously rotate. In the particular embodiment shown in many of thefigures, the cross-sectional geometry is hexagonal; however, one withskill in the art will appreciate that other cross-sectional geometriesmay be utilized, such as triangular, square, pentagonal, or star shaped,just to name a few. In a preferred embodiment, the cross-sectionalgeometry is round, as seen well in FIG. 2 a, and may be fitted with, aswould be known to one skilled in the art, whatever shaped fitting ismost convenient in coupling the rotating handle (410) and the threadedrod (420). By way of example only, as is illustrated in FIG. 2 a, thethreaded rod (420) may have a keyed end to cooperate with a suitablycooperating keyway in the rotating handle (410). Obviously, the locationof the key need not be on the threaded rod (420) and keyway need not beon the rotating handle (410), as the converse may well be preferred.

As seen in FIGS. 46-51, the threaded rod (420) has a contact surface(422) for engaging the bearing pin (130). The contact surface (422) mayhave a number of configurations. For example, the contact surface (422)may be flat, as seen in FIG. 49, or beveled, as seen in FIG. 50, orrounded, as seen in FIG. 51. Preferably, the contact surface (422) isrounded. A rounded or domed contact surface (422) allows the forceexerted by the threaded rod (420) to be distributed over a largersurface area of the bearing pin (130), which helps increase the usefullife of the bearing pin (130). Furthermore, because the rounded contactsurface (422) has no sharp edges, there will be less scoring of thebearing pin (130) over time when compared to the flat and beveledcontact surfaces (422).

In addition, the configuration of the bearing pin (130) itself may helpreduce the concentration of stress forces exerted by the threaded rod(420). For example, in one embodiment, the bearing pin (130) includes agroove (132), as seen in FIG. 2. The groove (132) may be formed byremoving a small portion of the bearing pin (130) by milling orgrinding. The groove (132) may create a flat surface against which thecontact surface (422) may bear. The flat surface created by the groove(132) will allow even more of the stress forces to be distributed over alarger surface area of the bearing pin (130), as opposed to simply around bearing pin (130).

In an alternative embodiment, the contact surface (422) may beardirectly against the pivot tube (120). In this particular embodiment, aseparate bearing pin (130) would not be required. The pivot tube (120)may also be provided with a groove similar to the bearing pin groove(132) discussed above. Such a groove would provide a similar reductionin stress force concentration.

Referring now to FIG. 2 and FIGS. 46-51, the tilt adjusting mechanism(400) includes a nut (430) configured to engage the threaded rod (420).In one embodiment, the nut (430) may be fixed within the support member(100). For example, the nut (430) may be a square nut (430) that fitswithin a square shaped recess of the support member (100) to preventrotation of the square nut (430). In another embodiment, a c-clip (440)is placed on the threaded rod (420) to help secure the nut (430) on thethreaded rod (420) and to provide a biasing force against the nut (430)to ensure a good fit between the threads of the threaded rod (420) andthe nut (430). In yet other embodiments, the nut (430) may be molded,press-fit, or retained by tabs or other mechanical restraints within thesquare shaped recess of the support member (100), as could easily beimagined by one skilled in the art. In such embodiments, as may be seenin FIG. 2 a, it may be seen that the c-clip (440) is not required.

In an alternative embodiment, the support member (100) may include athreaded bore configured to engage the threaded rod (420). By utilizinga threaded bore in the support member (100), a nut (430) will not berequired for the tilt adjusting mechanism (400) to function.

Now, the operation of the tilt adjusting mechanism (400) will bedescribed. The tilt adjusting mechanism (400) is capable of adjustingthe tilt angle of the armrest (10) by translating rotational motion tolinear motion. For example, a user rotates the rotating handle (410) ina clockwise direction. The rotation of the rotating handle (410) causesthe threaded rod (420) to rotate within the nut (430), or threaded bore.Because the nut (430), or threaded bore, is stationary, the threaded rod(420) translates rearward causing the armrest (10) to pivot upward aboutthe pivot tube (120), thereby increasing the tilt angle, as seen in FIG.46. Similarly, counterclockwise rotation of the rotating handle (410)causes the threaded rod (420) to translate forward causing the armrest(10) to pivot downward about the pivot tube (120), thereby decreasingthe tilt angle, as seen in FIG. 48.

It may thus be appreciated that the adjustable sliding armrest (10)provides a number of advantages. For example, the sliding feature of thearmrest (10) allows users of various arm lengths to adjust the armrestto their comfort. Additionally, the configuration of the slide member(200) and the support member (100) promotes a self-cleaning function tohelp prevent fouling of the slidable communication therebetween. Theadjustable sliding armrest (10) further promotes ergonomics byutilization of the tilt adjusting mechanism (400), which allows forselective, incremental adjustments to the armrest (10) tilt angle.Moreover, the rounded or domed contact surface (422) of the threaded rod(420) helps distribute the force exerted on the bearing pin (130) over alarger surface area, which helps increase the useful life of the bearingpin (130).

Numerous alterations, modifications, and variations of the preferredembodiments disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in theart and they are all anticipated and contemplated to be within thespirit and scope of the disclosed adjustable sliding armrest (10). Forexample, although specific embodiments have been described in detail,those with skill in the art will understand that the precedingembodiments and variations can be modified to incorporate various typesof substitute and or additional or alternative materials, relativearrangement of elements, and dimensional configurations. Accordingly,even though only few variations of the adjustable sliding armrest (10)are described herein, it is to be understood that the practice of suchadditional modifications and variations and the equivalents thereof, arewithin the spirit and scope of the adjustable sliding armrest (10) asdisclosed herein. Although some materials of construction were discussedfor the various components of the adjustable sliding armrest (10), itshould be noted that some of the components, when used in particularapplications, must meet certain safety codes and regulations. Forexample, when used in an automobile, the specific materials ofconstruction of various components may be restricted by Federal MotorVehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 302 for Flammability of InteriorMaterials. The corresponding structures, materials, acts, andequivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claimsbelow are intended to include any structure, material, or acts forperforming the functions in combination with other claimed elements asspecifically claimed.

1. An adjustable armrest comprising: a support member having a pluralityof first locking apertures defined in a first side wall of the supportmember; a slide member slidably attached to the support member; and afirst adjustable mechanism to allow selective slidable movement of theslide member with respect to the support member, the first adjustablemechanism having a biasing mechanism to bias a locking mechanism intoone of the plurality of first locking apertures, wherein the firstadjustable mechanism includes a first button configured to extendthrough a first bore defined on a first side of the slide member and theplurality of first locking apertures, and wherein the support memberfurther includes a plurality of second locking apertures defined in asecond side wall of the support member, and wherein the biasingmechanism biases the locking mechanism to one of the plurality of secondlocking apertures.
 2. The adjustable armrest of claim 1, wherein thefirst adjustable locking mechanism further includes a second buttonconfigured to extend through a second bore on a second side of the slidemember and the plurality of second locking apertures, and wherein thebiasing mechanism is disposed between the first button and the secondbutton.
 3. The adjustable armrest of claim 2, wherein applying acompressive force to the first button and to the second button causesthe biasing mechanism to compress such that the first button disengagesfrom one of the plurality of first locking apertures and the secondbutton disengages from one of the plurality of second locking aperturesallowing the locking mechanism to slide along a first slot defined inthe first side wall in the support member and a second slot defined inthe second side wall of the support member until the biasing mechanismbiases the first button into engagement with a different one of theplurality of first locking apertures and the second button intoengagement with a different one of the plurality of second lockingapertures to lock the position of the slide member with respect to thesupport member.
 4. The adjustable armrest of claim 1 further comprisinga second adjusting mechanism for selectively increasing or decreasing atilt angle.
 5. The adjustable armrest of claim 4, wherein the secondadjusting mechanism includes a rotating device disposed within a recessof the support member, a threaded rod having a first end engaging therotating device and a second end engaging a pin attached to a pivot tubedisposed in a pivot bore defined in the support member.
 6. Theadjustable armrest of claim 5, wherein rotation of the rotating devicecauses the threaded rod to rotate such that the threaded rod translatesforward or rearward to allow rotation of the support member about thepivot tube to selectively decrease or increase the tilt angle.
 7. Theadjustable armrest of claim 6, wherein the pivot tube extends beyond thesupport member to thereby attach the support member to an object.
 8. Anadjustable armrest comprising: a pivotable support member having abottom wall and a recess defined in the bottom wall; a slide memberslidably attached to the support member a locking mechanism to adjustmovement of the slide member with respect to the support member; and atilt adjusting mechanism to selectively adjust a tilt angle of thesupport member.
 9. The adjustable armrest of claim 8, wherein the tiltadjusting mechanism includes a rotating handle disposed within therecess of the support member, a threaded rod having a first end engagingthe rotating handle and a second end engaging a pin attached to a pivottube disposed in a pivot bore defined in the support member.
 10. Theadjustable armrest of claim 9, wherein rotation of the rotating handlecauses the threaded rod to rotate such that the threaded rod translatesforward or rearward to allow rotation of the support member about thepivot tube to selectively decrease or increase the tilt angle.
 11. Theadjustable armrest of claim 10, wherein the pivot tube extends beyondthe support member to thereby attach the support member to an object.12. The adjustable armrest of claim 8, wherein the pivotable supportmember includes a plurality of first locking apertures defined in afirst side wall of the support member and a plurality of second lockingapertures defined in a second side wall of the support member.
 13. Theadjustable armrest of claim 12, wherein the locking mechanism includes abiasing spring to bias the locking mechanism into one of the pluralityof first locking apertures and one of the plurality of second lockingapertures.
 14. The adjustable armrest of claim 13, wherein the lockingmechanism includes a first button configured to extend through a firstbore defined on a first side of the slide member and the plurality offirst locking apertures, and a second button configured to extendthrough a second bore on a second side of the slide member and theplurality of second locking apertures, and wherein the biasing spring isdisposed between the first button and the second button.
 15. Theadjustable armrest of claim 14, wherein applying a compressive force tothe first button and to the second button causes the biasing spring tocompress such that the first button disengages from one of the pluralityof first locking apertures and the second button disengages from one ofthe plurality of second locking apertures allowing the locking mechanismto slide along a first slot defined in the first side wall of thesupport member and a second slot defined in the second side wall of thesupport member until the biasing spring biases the first button intoengagement with a different one of the plurality of first lockingapertures and the second button into engagement with a different one ofthe plurality of second locking apertures to lock the position of theslide member with respect to the support member.
 16. A method ofadjusting an armrest comprising: providing an adjustable armrest havinga pivotal support member and a slide member slidably movable withrespect to the support member; compressing a locking mechanism withinthe support member to disengage the locking mechanism from a pluralityof first locking apertures; positioning the slide member along thesupport member; engaging the locking mechanism with a different one ofthe plurality of first locking apertures; and compressing the lockingmechanism within the support member to disengage the locking mechanismfrom a plurality of second locking apertures and engaging the lockingmechanism with a different one of the plurality of second lockingapertures.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein prior to engaging thelocking mechanism with a different one of the plurality of first lockingapertures and a different one of the plurality of second lockingapertures, the method further comprising releasing the lockingmechanism.